The United Nations in El Salvador condemned the attack against four technicians in Haiti and called for their safe return.

The attack against the Salvadorans occurred on October 18 on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince after a visit to a local market. (Courtesy: Armed Force of El Salvador/United Nations El Salvador)The United Nations System in El Salvador condemned this Saturday the attack against four Salvadoran aviation technicians who remain missing in Haiti following an ambush on the vehicle in which they were traveling as part of the International Gang Suppression Force. In a statement, the organization expressed its solidarity with the families of the four Salvadorans "in light of the distressing situation they are going through." It also joined the appeal made by the spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General to achieve "their immediate and safe return." The technicians are part of the international mission deployed in Haiti, whose objective is to support local authorities in the face of the expansion of armed groups operating in different areas of the country, especially in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. The attack occurred on October 18, when the soldiers were returning to their camp from a market located on the outskirts of the Haitian capital. The United Nations System in El Salvador condemned the ambush against four aviation technicians in Haiti. (Courtesy: United Nations in El Salvador)According to official information, the attackers fired on the vehicle and used explosives, which caused a fire. Helicopters sent to assist the contingent also came under fire during the operation. The Salvadoran delegation identified those affected as four aviation technicians from Freedom Task Force II. The authorities have not officially reported where they are located, nor have they confirmed direct contact with them since the ambush. The Secretary-General's spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, condemned the kidnapping and demanded the release of the Salvadorans. "We condemn that kidnapping and call for their immediate and safe release," he said during a press conference on October 19. The attackers used explosives that set the official vehicle on fire and fired on rescue helicopters. (AP/Odelyn Joseph)The Salvadoran president, Nayib Bukele, stated this week that the four men are aeronautical technicians whose main function is to carry out medical evacuations. The head of State maintained that they are not part of combat units and announced an operation to secure their rescue. The Gang Suppression Force confirmed that a contingent from El Salvador arrived in Haiti to support the search and security tasks in the area where the attack occurred. The incident exposed the risks facing the international mission in a context marked by the presence of armed groups in Port-au-Prince and other areas of the country. The United Nations reported that, as of October 12, the force had 1,563 uniformed members, a figure lower than the 5,550 personnel authorized by the Security Council. Soldiers from El Salvador arrived in Haitian territory to support search and rescue tasks. (Courtesy: Armed Force of El Salvador)The Council renewed the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force on September 29 until March 31, 2027. The resolution establishes that the mission must collaborate with Haitian institutions to recover territories under the control of criminal organizations, protect infrastructure, and create security conditions for the electoral process. The whereabouts of the four Salvadoran technicians remain without an official resolution. The United Nations, the Government of Haiti, and the authorities of El Salvador continue efforts to locate the members of the contingent and ensure their return.